Valuation Office Agency VOA
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) gives the UK government valuations and property advice to support taxation and benefits, both at the national level and for local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland. It is an executive agency of HM Revenue & Customs and employs more than 3,600 staff, also providing valuation and surveying services to public sector bodies.
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) was established on 30 September 1991 as a Next Steps Agency of the Inland Revenue. It was formed from the merger of the Valuation Office organisations in England, Wales and in Scotland. It is now an executive agency of Her ( His ) Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
The VOA’s work covers the following areas:
- Domestic council tax - compiling and maintaining lists of council tax bands for 26 million domestic properties.
- Non-domestic rating - compiling and maintaining lists detailing the rateable value of 2.1 million commercial properties for business rates.
- Advice - advising ministers on valuation, property matters and benefits.
- Valuations - providing independent and impartial valuation and professional property advice across the public sector.
- Community Infrastructure Levy - decides appeals against the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
- Right to Buy - provides determinations of value for Right to Buy (RTB) in England and Wales.
- Rent Officers - determining Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates across England, advising local authorities of the maximum subsidy level payable for housing benefit claims under the local reference rent system and maintaining a register of fair rents for regulated tenancies in England.
- Customer Charter - explains how they work in collaboration to deliver professional and expert customer services experience.
For further information visit the VOA website directly here.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Design and construction industry podcasts
Professional development, practice, the pandemic, platforms and podcasts. Have we missed anything?
C20 Society; Buildings at Risk List 2025
10 more buildings published with updates on the past decade of buildings featured.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation, closing 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
From project managers to rising stars, sustainability pioneers and more.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.